


Midnight Masks

by Lisbet



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, i meant for this to end happily??? but
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:43:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisbet/pseuds/Lisbet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She knew this was a bad idea, as Tikki told her repeatedly before and after each time. But here she was again. In costume, in Adrien Agreste’s bedroom, straddling his lap. His mouth pulled hungrily at hers as she ran a red hand down his bare chest. Breaking away from her, he leaned his head against her chest and she whined involuntarily, already missing the pressure of his lips on hers.</p>
<p>”Do you know me? As a civilian?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight Masks

She knew this was a bad idea, as Tikki told her repeatedly before and after each time. But here she was again. In costume, in Adrien Agreste’s bedroom, straddling his lap. His mouth pulled hungrily at hers as she ran a red hand down his bare chest. Breaking away from her, he leaned his head against her chest and she whined involuntarily, already missing the pressure of his lips on hers.  

”Do you know me? As a civilian?”

His voice was soft and quiet in the dark room. He leaned back, looking at her, but even Ladybug’s miraculous confidence couldn’t prevent her from freezing. After a moment she laughs, nervously.

“Why would you say that, Adrien?” she keeps her tone light, playful. His eyes don’t leave hers, hands still resting on her hips.

“So you just know me from my work then. You’re a fan?” He sounds oddly distant. Marinette can’t help but panic. She doesn’t want him to think she’s just another fangirl, but he can’t figure out that she’s Marinette either.

“N-no no! I mean yes but I…” she looks down at the white bedsheets. “I do know you just… not as well as I’d like.”

Adrien moves suddenly, flipping them, Ladybug lying on his bed with him over her, hands on either side of her head. He leans down, just centimetres away, like he’s going to kiss her again.

“So you show up at my house late at night, hoping to… know me better?” he glances at his t-shirt on the other end of the bed, then at her lips before staring deeply into her eyes once more. She reaches up, stroking his cheek.

“The first time I… I didn’t mean for this. I never would’ve guessed that you’d… want this,” her voice is soft, hesitant. His gaze flickers down to her lips again and he leans down, kissing her slowly. When he pulls back his voice is low, his gaze intense. An untold joke pulls at the corners of his mouth.

“I’d never have guessed you’d want this either.”

\------

As she goes to bed that night, the conversation plays back in her mind. Had he been worrying that behind the mask she was another obsessed fangirl, fawning over his look, attracted to his lucrative career as a model? She wishes she could tell him about how she admires his kindness, his patience, his gentle smile. But as she turns under her sheets, another thought strikes her.

What about him? Adrien doesn’t know Ladybug, not really. And he certainly doesn’t know she’s Marinette. And he barely gives Marinette a second glance. Half a dozen post-patrol make-outs sessions… Don’t really tell you much about a person, do they? Isn’t he just a fan, really? Attracted to her superhero image? He doesn’t know what she’s like as a person. He doesn’t really like her at all.

\------

It’s all she can think about. School is a blur, a blur of Adrien’s shoulders in front of her in class, of the memory of his bare chest under her covered hands, the sound of his voice, low and husky at her touch. What is he thinking of right now? What was he thinking last night? Or the night before, when she’d kissed him against the wall, his hands running through her hair. Alya shakes her shoulder as the first class ends.

“Marinette whats up with you today? You were just staring at the board for half of class! Did you even take notes?” A quick look at her empty notepad confirms it.  “Look, if you’re sick maybe you should go home.”

Marinette shakes her head and mutters an excuse, smiling, trying to dispel her friends concern. She doesn’t look impressed. Alya always new better when it came to matters like this.

\------

Patrol is almost over. Marinette feels her hands start to sweat under the suit. After patrol is when she usually visits Adrien. Not every night of course, but in the last few weeks, when the adrenalines high or she feels a little lonely, more often than not she’s ended up landing on his roof. But now, with these doubts in her head, could she bear to face him? Even if she did, how could she act normally?

“Cat got your tongue, my Lady? You’ve been awfully quiet this evening.” Chat grins at her as they land on the final rooftop of their patrol route.

“It’s nothing Chat. I’ve just… been thinking.”

“Lost in thought eh? What about?”

Marinette opens her mouth to end this conversation before it begins. It’s none of his business. But she hesitates. After all, who else could she talk to about this, if not Chat? Who else could understand the worries of this double-life? She sits down on the roof-tiles. Chat looks at her surprised, but soon joins her.

“I…” she falters. Where to even begin?

“Chat have you ever… interacted with someone in costume? Regularly?” Chat is silent for a second, the odd expression on his face soon replaced by his trademark grin.

“Other than you my Lady? Can’t say I’ve had the purr-easure.” A moment’s pause. “Why, have you?”

“Yes. There’s… Someone I know, as a civilian, and I well… ran into them in costume.”

“Bound to happen eventually, with all the people we save.”

“Yes but this was different, we…” her voice trailed off. She suddenly became painfully aware of the crush Chat so frequently insisted he had on her. Was there any way she could put this that wouldn’t hurt his feelings? Even if she didn’t return his feelings, he was her partner. “We kind of started… making out?” She can’t look Chat in the eyes, her cheeks burning.

To her surprise he laughs, full and genuine. “My my, seems I’m not the only heartbreaker with a miraculous eh?” He grins at her, feline. “So what’s there to think about? If you know them as a civilian you must not dislike them right?” He pauses again, voice a little flatter. “Do you have a civilian boyfriend too? Worried they’re gonna find out about each other or something?”

“No, no I… I was just thinking, I know them as a civilian and in fact, I’ve kind of had a crush on them for a while but,” she pauses, looking down at the street below them. She can barely believe she’s talking about Adrien here, with Chat. But no point in stopping now. He stares at her, completely silent. When she speaks again her voice is smaller, hesitant. “They don’t seem to notice me at all, you know? As a civilian that is. But when I’m Ladybug… Then suddenly he notices me, cares about me, wants—“ Marinette didn’t even notice the tears welling up in her eyes until suddenly they’re there, rolling down her face. Chat is at her side in an instant, arms around her as she sobs.

“Ladybug…”

“He just doesn’t even know me! I’ve liked him for so long but he doesn’t like me at all, not really. All he likes is the Ladybug he sees on the news, on TV, fighting akuma in the streets. What can he possibly know about me? As a person?” She sniffles, pulling back from Chats embrace. This is selfish. What can he do to fix this, really?

“I’m sorry Chat I know you have a crush on me so I shou—“

The look on his face stops her apology in its tracks. He looks utterly miserable. Marinette curses herself internally, she knew it would hurt him to talk about her crush, yet he listened and comforted her anyway.

“I-I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have talked about this with you! I didn’t mean to make you feel bad too…” She stands up and turns away, only for Chat to grab her hand.

“Ladybug…” his voice trails off. She backs away.

“I’m sorry kitty cat. I guess both of us are unlucky in love, aren’t we?” She smiles bitterly before jumping off the roof, speeding away in the night.

Chat sits there alone, covering his face with his hands as his transformation lifts.

“Well you’ve certainly gone and made a right mess of this haven’t you,” Plagg muttered, resting on Adrien’s shoulder.

 

\------

In his room later than night, Adrien tossed and turned in the sheets where just yesterday, Ladybug had lain, smiling at him. He could barely believe her confession on the rooftop. She had a crush on him? As a civilian? The thought was enough to make his heart soar, but it was weighed down by what had followed. How could he know Ladybug’s civilian self and ignore her? His Lady shines so brightly it’s hard to imagine he could pass her by in any form. Guilt churned in his stomach. Was Ladybug right? Did he really know her at all?

He shook his head, trying to dispel the thought. She didn’t know that he was Chat Noir, that he shared the rooftops with her at night. He wished he could tell her. Ladybug… She had all these doubts, these fears, all because of him. And how could he fix it?

\------

There was no patrol the next evening. Never was, on Tuesdays. Ladybug insisted they needed at least one night off, for homework and rest. But Adrien was restless. His homework lay abandoned on his desk. All day he’d been thinking of his Lady’s words. She knew him. Adrien. But who was she? Someone at school? From his fencing class? Maybe a fellow model? She was certainly beautiful enough, he mused. But with such a busy schedule, Adrien interacted with so many people, how could he ever find out?

Lost in thought, he startled at the knock on the window. Ladybug hung down from the roof with her yoyo. He always left that one window unlocked, for her. He got up from his desk and walked over to her as she climbed in, moonlight spilling across her hair, outlining her silhouette.

“Ladybug… I didn’t think you’d come.” As soon as the words left his mouth he panicked. Adrien didn’t know there was no patrol today! Adrien didn’t know about that conversation on the roof last night! But Ladybug didn’t seem to notice, taking a deep breath before looking him straight in the eye. Her voice was calm, steady.

“Adrien. I think we should end this.”

Instantly he felt it, like his stomach bottomed out. He stepped toward her and she did not back away, continuing.

“I’m Ladybug, Adrien, a superhero. When the masks on, my purpose is to keep Paris safe, not…” her gaze flicked away, over toward his bed. “Not… Whatever this is.”

“Then what about without the mask?” Adrien’s mouth moved on its own, the threat of losing Ladybug so urgent he couldn’t stop himself to think. “You said you know me, just tell me who you are and you don’t have to be Ladybug anymore, not with me.” He pleaded, almost surprised at the tone of his voice. She chuckled briefly, giving him a small, bitter smile.

“Adrien… There’s no need to pretend. Without the mask, there’s nothing between us.” She sounded so certain. Adrien felt his throat closing up, the guilt of his secrets clawing at him. But she didn’t want to know who he was. She didn’t care for Chat like she did Adrien.

Ladybug turned, perching on the window-sill, ready to swing off once more into the night. And he didn’t know how to stop her. He reached out, grabbing her hand, just like he had yesterday. And just as yesterday she turned to look at him with a sad smile, eyes wet and glistening. He watched, frozen, as she lifted his hand to her mouth and pressed a soft kiss to his skin. And then she was gone, speeding away in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even write usually so this might be a bit of a mess... Any constructive criticism is appreciated! (As well as other comments too of course <33) Normally I'm more of a Marichat girl but.. somehow this happened? We need more Ladrien fic anyway. Also excuse the cheesy title aha. Hope you enjoy!!


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